Soccer-Advantage Sunderland as United suffer third straight loss

Jan 7 (Reuters) - Sunderland grabbed the upper hand over Manchester United by winning their League Cup semi-final, first leg 2-1 on Tuesday to compound a testing week for visiting manager David Moyes.

Fabio Borini scored a second-half penalty to give the Premier League's bottom club a one-goal lead ahead of the return match at Old Trafford after a 52nd minute Nemanja Vidic header cancelled out Ryan Giggs's own goal in first-half stoppage time.

It was United's third straight defeat after they were beaten in the FA Cup third round by Swansea City on Sunday and by Tottenham Hotspur in the league the previous week.

The second leg will be played on Jan. 22 to decide who will face either Manchester City or West Ham United in the final. (Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Ken Ferris)